Hi again,
Don was playing around with code last night and managed to make my pregancy counter actually work. Now you too can count down the days with us.
I was doing some online browsing yesterday just to see what kind of new toys are out there. There are some pretty cool toys available but I can't help thinking about the "good old days" [am I that old already]. I remember the toys we had as kids. Mostly I remember having lots and lots of books that we used to make roads and towers out of. Dad used to make us wooden boats out of scraps of wood and big pieces of bark and we would happily name them and tow them along behind us through the big mud puddles near our house. He also used to bring things home from work - ball bearings made great marbles and a tractor inner tube made a nice trampoline. I used to love it when he picked up reams of blank newsprint from our local weekly and we would set up our own "daily paper", colouring for hours on end and then trying to sell them to our poor relatives.
Mom used to keep us entertained with loads of arts and crafts. We often made salt dough and used it like play dough until we forgot to keep it moist and ended up with bits of rock hard balls. We made kites out of plastic bags and bits of paper and almost always had fun just trying to get the things to fly. Our Christmas tree was decorated with things we had made out of pine cones, nuts, pipe cleaners and glitter. There were many adventures outside too. We often lived in a world of make believe with mom and dad right there along with us.
So, as I look at all the wonderful new toys available out there, I find myself hesitant to buy the latest Disney it-glows-talks-rattles-and-rumbles toy. Sure, I'll pick up a few of the more entertaining toys and old classics. However, I won't forget that sometimes even an old cardboard box can bring hours of fun. Maybe the best thing we can give the baby is our time and share our imaginations. It's certainly what I remember most fondly from my childhood.
Sunday, January 30, 2005
Friday, January 28, 2005
Books, books, books
Another parcel arrived today from the book club. I've pretty much got a whole shelf full of books for the baby now. It's a good start but there are just so many more books out there that I'm sure he's going to need. The funny thing is, the only toys he's got so far have come from the grandparents [a shelf full of stuffed animals] and one lone little wooden plane that I picked up at a craft sale. Some of his books are very versatile though - they squeek, rattle, crinkle and come with things like mirrors, soft bits, shiny bits, hard bits, etc. I suppose my next shopping trip will be for some toys.
I'm beginning to think we may have a few too many clothes. We've filled up his dresser already and have a whole area in the closet dedicated to his clothes. I am happy that we decided to get a range of sizes though. The best stuff seems to be in the 6 month range. My dad and brother-in-law will be happy to know he already has a fishing outfit, complete with vest and hat. Mom and I will appreciate the nautical themed clothes and the overalls. They remind me very much of my brother when he was a baby. I'm holding off on purchasing the summer stuff though. I've no idea what size he will fit in July and August. I must get more hats too, if only to annoy Don my-boy-isn't-wearing-those Bain. Some friends and I at work are also talking about getting him a doll. Mind you, I think Desiree and Dakota would object more to that than Don simply because they were never interested in those things.
Hope you all have a good weekend [cough, cough]. I'm hoping we do too [sniffle, sniffle].
I'm beginning to think we may have a few too many clothes. We've filled up his dresser already and have a whole area in the closet dedicated to his clothes. I am happy that we decided to get a range of sizes though. The best stuff seems to be in the 6 month range. My dad and brother-in-law will be happy to know he already has a fishing outfit, complete with vest and hat. Mom and I will appreciate the nautical themed clothes and the overalls. They remind me very much of my brother when he was a baby. I'm holding off on purchasing the summer stuff though. I've no idea what size he will fit in July and August. I must get more hats too, if only to annoy Don my-boy-isn't-wearing-those Bain. Some friends and I at work are also talking about getting him a doll. Mind you, I think Desiree and Dakota would object more to that than Don simply because they were never interested in those things.
Hope you all have a good weekend [cough, cough]. I'm hoping we do too [sniffle, sniffle].
Thursday, January 27, 2005
I am officially sick
Well, it was inevitable I suppose. With both of the girls catching the nasty bug that was going around and with me working from home most of the time now I guess that I should have resigned myself to the fact that I too would get sick.
My slight tickle in the throat has blossomed into a full out cold. I'm trying alternative remedies like hot lemon water, drinking plenty of fluids, holding my head over a bowl of hot water to clear the sinuses, etc. but I still think nothing does the trick to mask those symptoms like Buckleys or other such over-the-counter drugs. I haven't given in yet and called my doctor to see what options are available for pregnant women - I do know she told me early on that I could take asprin [in moderation] but not to take anything else. I'll give it another day or so and give her a call if the cough gets worse. My next appointment is in 8 days and hopefully all will be well again before that.
The poor baby probably gets pretty startled by the coughing and sneezing. He's really been moving around a lot at night and it has become a sad comedy. If I'm comfortable, he seems to feel the need to move and if he's quiet, I seem to be jostling him about as I try to find a comfortable position. My poor husband will have a grumpy wife on his hands for awhile. Today might be one of those days when a nap is called for. I don't think I'll have much of a choice in the matter really as it is a mere hour since I got up and I'm already nodding off.
My slight tickle in the throat has blossomed into a full out cold. I'm trying alternative remedies like hot lemon water, drinking plenty of fluids, holding my head over a bowl of hot water to clear the sinuses, etc. but I still think nothing does the trick to mask those symptoms like Buckleys or other such over-the-counter drugs. I haven't given in yet and called my doctor to see what options are available for pregnant women - I do know she told me early on that I could take asprin [in moderation] but not to take anything else. I'll give it another day or so and give her a call if the cough gets worse. My next appointment is in 8 days and hopefully all will be well again before that.
The poor baby probably gets pretty startled by the coughing and sneezing. He's really been moving around a lot at night and it has become a sad comedy. If I'm comfortable, he seems to feel the need to move and if he's quiet, I seem to be jostling him about as I try to find a comfortable position. My poor husband will have a grumpy wife on his hands for awhile. Today might be one of those days when a nap is called for. I don't think I'll have much of a choice in the matter really as it is a mere hour since I got up and I'm already nodding off.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
FAMILY-1
Heh, I found a photo of my nanny, poppa, aunt and cousins. I'll have some stinky diapers for all of you too.
Update from Baby Bain
Hi everybody! Seems like mom and dad have finally gotten around to finding a name for me. Whew, I was getting worried there because mom was starting to suggest things like "Susie". Doesn't she know that I'm gonna be a boy and what kinda name is that for a boy? Dad seemed to like "Max Power", which is only a little better than the alternative "Homer J. Simpson Bain". I'm going to have my work cut out for me with those two.
For those of you who are wondering, I'm doing okay. I like to open and close my eyes now but I have to tell you, there's not an awful lot to see in here [no offense mom]. My hands and feet are fun to play with but it's getting a little tight in here. I can't practice my kicks as much as I used to. I wish mom would stop worrying about the size of her belly and think about how it feels for me. I especially hate it when that big fat cat sits on top of me. You had better watch out hairball because when I get outta here I'm going to sit on you.
Mom seems to think I've been making a lot of "strange movements" recently. Geez mom, ya went to university, seen a bit of the world and ought to know a little something by now. Those "strange movements" are called hiccups. You've had them yourself so stop your complaining. It's no picnic for me either. And while we are on the subject, that round of sneezing you did yesterday is NEVER TO BE REPEATED. It scared me so much I almost....well, no need for the nice people to know about that just yet.
Anyway, tell my sisters that I'm ready to be spoiled rotten, umm...I mean I am really looking forward to tormenting them. No, that's not right either. Just tell them to keep mom and dad in line until I get there. Oh, and there is no need to fight about it. There will be plenty of stinky diapers for the both of you to change. I promise to save a few good ones for the grandparents too.
Monday, January 24, 2005
P.S. - The name thing
Opps, almost forgot the reason I was posting. We've almost certainly decided on the name Calum Elias Bain. We still have about 9 weeks to go though so things may still change.
Yet another thing we are contemplating - which Band do we want to register him with? Don's Band is in Prince George [Lheidli T'enneh] and mine is in Merritt [Lower Nicola]. Des and Dakota are registered with their mom's Band [Upper Nicola] which isn't too bad as I have a lot of relatives with that Band. With our research backgrounds, both Don and I have a fairly good understanding of the history of our Bands and ongoing projects. Unfortunately, this also means that we are well aware of other issues like lack of land for housing developments, family politics and the shortage of education funding. But, none of these problems are new and are a reality for most First Nations. I guess that the real question is will this baby be a NLakapamux or a Carrier? Maybe we should wait to meet him till we decide.
Yet another thing we are contemplating - which Band do we want to register him with? Don's Band is in Prince George [Lheidli T'enneh] and mine is in Merritt [Lower Nicola]. Des and Dakota are registered with their mom's Band [Upper Nicola] which isn't too bad as I have a lot of relatives with that Band. With our research backgrounds, both Don and I have a fairly good understanding of the history of our Bands and ongoing projects. Unfortunately, this also means that we are well aware of other issues like lack of land for housing developments, family politics and the shortage of education funding. But, none of these problems are new and are a reality for most First Nations. I guess that the real question is will this baby be a NLakapamux or a Carrier? Maybe we should wait to meet him till we decide.
Another week gone
Another week has passed! We had a fairly restful weekend. On Saturday, we went out to pick up the change table that we had ordered after Christmas and decided that we needed a nice rocker/recliner/swivel chair, for the baby of course. Sears was having a nice sale so we managed to find something fairly quickly. Unfortunately, it won't arrive till March but at least it should arrive before the baby.
Don picked up a few more DVDs. Donald Duck made it into his selection too so the baby has a growing collection of his own. We watched a few more episodes of 24. The plot on that show has so many twists and turns I'm loosing track. Of course, it could have something to do with the fact that I fell asleep part way through an episode and had to get Don to give me the Coles notes version of the plot.
I did a bit more shopping for the baby during the week. I noticed a decided lack of t-shirts in the clothes I had been buying so stocked up on a few of those. I have another item I should look into but am very reluctant to buy. I know I want to give the baby the "natural stuff" for as long as possible but breast pumps look a bit too much like torture devices for me to want to comtemplate them. I'll just wait a little longer.
Don has threatened to put a blocker on the channel that airs "Birth Stories" on t.v. Everytime I watch them I have a new story for him. Last week, one doula likened the experience of giving birth to trying to get your car out of a snowbank. You keep trying and trying to get the thing out until suddenly out it comes. That doesn't sound too bad. But she added that of course, you have to endure the feeling of your lower half feeling as though it were a ring of fire first. Another thing I think I won't contemplate until I absolutely have to.
Dakota is home today. She informed us last night that it is a Pro-D day for her teachers, and oh yeah, there was a notice for parents but she forgot it at school. It seems like the kids have at least one of these a month so we shouldn't be surprised. Thank goodness she's old enough to entertain herself. Unfortunately though, that usually means she will spend her day in front of the tv or playing X-Box or PS2. I've got a busy day ahead though so as long as she's occupied I'm happy.
Speaking of which, I'd better get started. I hope that you all have a good start to your week.
Don picked up a few more DVDs. Donald Duck made it into his selection too so the baby has a growing collection of his own. We watched a few more episodes of 24. The plot on that show has so many twists and turns I'm loosing track. Of course, it could have something to do with the fact that I fell asleep part way through an episode and had to get Don to give me the Coles notes version of the plot.
I did a bit more shopping for the baby during the week. I noticed a decided lack of t-shirts in the clothes I had been buying so stocked up on a few of those. I have another item I should look into but am very reluctant to buy. I know I want to give the baby the "natural stuff" for as long as possible but breast pumps look a bit too much like torture devices for me to want to comtemplate them. I'll just wait a little longer.
Don has threatened to put a blocker on the channel that airs "Birth Stories" on t.v. Everytime I watch them I have a new story for him. Last week, one doula likened the experience of giving birth to trying to get your car out of a snowbank. You keep trying and trying to get the thing out until suddenly out it comes. That doesn't sound too bad. But she added that of course, you have to endure the feeling of your lower half feeling as though it were a ring of fire first. Another thing I think I won't contemplate until I absolutely have to.
Dakota is home today. She informed us last night that it is a Pro-D day for her teachers, and oh yeah, there was a notice for parents but she forgot it at school. It seems like the kids have at least one of these a month so we shouldn't be surprised. Thank goodness she's old enough to entertain herself. Unfortunately though, that usually means she will spend her day in front of the tv or playing X-Box or PS2. I've got a busy day ahead though so as long as she's occupied I'm happy.
Speaking of which, I'd better get started. I hope that you all have a good start to your week.
Friday, January 21, 2005
Friday at last
Well, we are almost at the end of the work week and both Don and I are more than happy for it. It's been quite the week. Work-wise, things passed quickly but the girls are still sick. Desiree was home for a bit this week, was back at school yesterday but called Don because she wasn't feeling well. He had to knock off from work and take her in to see the doctor. She's developed a bit of a wheeze and has a deep cough so her doctor gave her some medication.
Dakota has been back at school most of the week but continues to have a cough. No matter how often we tell her to wear a jacket in the mornings, she often comes home soaking wet from standing outside without one after school. As everyone probably knows, we've had a lot of rain this week. When she heard that Desiree had to go see the doctor yesterday she asked Don and I if her cold was worse. Any parents out there know that is a bit of a warning sign for an "I-don't-feel-good" complaint the next morning. This morning she complained of a sore stomach but we sent her off to school [bad parents]. Don called awhile ago and said she had contacted him at work - once leaving a message saying she couldn't breathe and the second time calling to say that she took some Pepto and was feeling better. Part of the motivation may be a planned visit to a friends house after school so I'm not entirely sure we've heard the last of that. Needless to say, it's been a trying week.
The still-to-be-named baby Bain is doing well. I'm still getting some pretty solid kicks, especially at night. Our cat seems to have given up on the idea of fighting to share space and now rests on my feet or just near me for warmth. I know that there is still a long time to go before the baby comes but I'm getting all the more anxious for that day.
Heh, just answered the door and it was our postman. Two little parcels from the book club have arrived [that makes four for the week]. Things are looking up! I'm off to finish the rest of the work week and hope that everyone has a restful [germ and cold free] weekend.
P.S. Don took his camera in to work yesterday and came back with some nifty photos of a few of the "UBCIC babies". The youngest was born just before Christmas and the oldest is over a year [I think]. For those UBCIC parents out there - your kids are sure getting cute! Also, thanks for indulging my husband with his passion for snapping photos. He's not allowed to get anywhere near me with his camera at the moment and our poor cat is probably still seeing flashes before her eyes. Mind you, he is pretty good with it and did get some great shots of both the babies and the cat.
Dakota has been back at school most of the week but continues to have a cough. No matter how often we tell her to wear a jacket in the mornings, she often comes home soaking wet from standing outside without one after school. As everyone probably knows, we've had a lot of rain this week. When she heard that Desiree had to go see the doctor yesterday she asked Don and I if her cold was worse. Any parents out there know that is a bit of a warning sign for an "I-don't-feel-good" complaint the next morning. This morning she complained of a sore stomach but we sent her off to school [bad parents]. Don called awhile ago and said she had contacted him at work - once leaving a message saying she couldn't breathe and the second time calling to say that she took some Pepto and was feeling better. Part of the motivation may be a planned visit to a friends house after school so I'm not entirely sure we've heard the last of that. Needless to say, it's been a trying week.
The still-to-be-named baby Bain is doing well. I'm still getting some pretty solid kicks, especially at night. Our cat seems to have given up on the idea of fighting to share space and now rests on my feet or just near me for warmth. I know that there is still a long time to go before the baby comes but I'm getting all the more anxious for that day.
Heh, just answered the door and it was our postman. Two little parcels from the book club have arrived [that makes four for the week]. Things are looking up! I'm off to finish the rest of the work week and hope that everyone has a restful [germ and cold free] weekend.
P.S. Don took his camera in to work yesterday and came back with some nifty photos of a few of the "UBCIC babies". The youngest was born just before Christmas and the oldest is over a year [I think]. For those UBCIC parents out there - your kids are sure getting cute! Also, thanks for indulging my husband with his passion for snapping photos. He's not allowed to get anywhere near me with his camera at the moment and our poor cat is probably still seeing flashes before her eyes. Mind you, he is pretty good with it and did get some great shots of both the babies and the cat.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
75%!
Checked out my online source for weekly pregnancy info today and found that I am now 75% of the way through [see below]:
http://www.amazingpregnancy.com
Today is Thursday January 20th 2005.
You conceived on Monday July 5th 2004 and your due date is Monday March 28th 2005.
199 days have passed since the conception, and you are 67 days before your due date.
You are 30 weeks into your pregnancy, and you have 10 weeks to go.
You are in the 3rd trimester.
75% of your pregnancy has passed, there is 25% left to go.
and
I also checked out some facts about the baby's birth date:
http://www.babiesonline.com/funfacts/
Fun Facts
Your baby's birthstone will be Aquamarine (Courage)
Your baby's Astrological Sign will be Aries
Your baby's Flower will be Daffodil or Jonquil (White or Light Blue)
Your baby will be born in the Chinese Year of The Rooster
Your baby will start kindergarten in 2010, be old enough to drive a car in 2021, finish high school in 2023, and will graduate from college with the class of 2027 (Give or take a year)
I wonder what high school will be like in 2023? Now the Rooster seems interesting. According to Chinese astrology, Roosters make great lawyers, brain surgeons and accountants, are very observant, like to be well dressed and are very neat. One bad trait is that they tend to be critical of others and need to learn to "live and let live". I don't think that will be a problem with Don as his dad [he's the most forgiving and understanding person that I know]. It will be nice if we did have a neat freak though. It is far from a priority with Desiree and Dakota [especially Dakota who has to be reminded to shovel out her room every now and then].
http://www.amazingpregnancy.com
Today is Thursday January 20th 2005.
You conceived on Monday July 5th 2004 and your due date is Monday March 28th 2005.
199 days have passed since the conception, and you are 67 days before your due date.
You are 30 weeks into your pregnancy, and you have 10 weeks to go.
You are in the 3rd trimester.
75% of your pregnancy has passed, there is 25% left to go.
and
I also checked out some facts about the baby's birth date:
http://www.babiesonline.com/funfacts/
Fun Facts
Your baby's birthstone will be Aquamarine (Courage)
Your baby's Astrological Sign will be Aries
Your baby's Flower will be Daffodil or Jonquil (White or Light Blue)
Your baby will be born in the Chinese Year of The Rooster
Your baby will start kindergarten in 2010, be old enough to drive a car in 2021, finish high school in 2023, and will graduate from college with the class of 2027 (Give or take a year)
I wonder what high school will be like in 2023? Now the Rooster seems interesting. According to Chinese astrology, Roosters make great lawyers, brain surgeons and accountants, are very observant, like to be well dressed and are very neat. One bad trait is that they tend to be critical of others and need to learn to "live and let live". I don't think that will be a problem with Don as his dad [he's the most forgiving and understanding person that I know]. It will be nice if we did have a neat freak though. It is far from a priority with Desiree and Dakota [especially Dakota who has to be reminded to shovel out her room every now and then].
Monday, January 17, 2005
I stand corrected
Don's dad informed us that Calum has only one l. Is it just me or does it look more masculine when it is spelt that way? After all, we must always remember that the baby will have roots in both Surrey and Merritt - both places with a bit of a tougher reputation [or so we like to think]. The name that we had wanted for a girl, Payton, could work for a boy too [as Peyton] but cousins would endlessly tease the poor kid if we picked something like that.
I found a BBC site that helps with pronunciation of Calum [http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/alba/foghlam/beag_air_bheag/section18/index.shtml] but expect we will anglicize it a bit if that is the name we choose. Don's dad also sent us this link http://www.namenerds.com/scottish/ .
We had a quiet weekend. We did the usual chores and shopping. All that I can say is that it is a sad day when you get winded from carrying in the groceries. While I understand the physical reasons why this happens [think of all of your internal organs being pushed up in your body to make room for the growing baby] it is not something you want to acknowledge is happening.
Yesterday we picked up season one of the TV show "24". Season 4 has just started on TV and we watched a few episodes and got hooked. Now, we can go back and see how it all began. Don and I intended to watch one episode [there are 24 in season one] but kept saying "Just one more" till we watched a complete disk [4 episodes]. So far, it's pretty good. Mind you, if the intelligence game were like that it would be a pretty funny world. The story focuses on one main character, Jack Bauer, who works for the counter terrorism unit. We've noticed that around their office, there are a lot of personal politics going on too. Everyone asks everyone else to "do them a favor" until it gets so convoluted you really can't tell the good guys from the bad. Ah well, it's entertaining.
Dakota has mostly recovered from her cold but now Desiree is home sick. You know that they really aren't feeling well when they voluntarily stay in all weekend. I hope that those of you who have picked up a similar cold get healthy soon. For those of you that are healthy now, stay away from our house till we beat this cold for good. At the rate we are going, it could be awhile.
I found a BBC site that helps with pronunciation of Calum [http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/alba/foghlam/beag_air_bheag/section18/index.shtml] but expect we will anglicize it a bit if that is the name we choose. Don's dad also sent us this link http://www.namenerds.com/scottish/ .
We had a quiet weekend. We did the usual chores and shopping. All that I can say is that it is a sad day when you get winded from carrying in the groceries. While I understand the physical reasons why this happens [think of all of your internal organs being pushed up in your body to make room for the growing baby] it is not something you want to acknowledge is happening.
Yesterday we picked up season one of the TV show "24". Season 4 has just started on TV and we watched a few episodes and got hooked. Now, we can go back and see how it all began. Don and I intended to watch one episode [there are 24 in season one] but kept saying "Just one more" till we watched a complete disk [4 episodes]. So far, it's pretty good. Mind you, if the intelligence game were like that it would be a pretty funny world. The story focuses on one main character, Jack Bauer, who works for the counter terrorism unit. We've noticed that around their office, there are a lot of personal politics going on too. Everyone asks everyone else to "do them a favor" until it gets so convoluted you really can't tell the good guys from the bad. Ah well, it's entertaining.
Dakota has mostly recovered from her cold but now Desiree is home sick. You know that they really aren't feeling well when they voluntarily stay in all weekend. I hope that those of you who have picked up a similar cold get healthy soon. For those of you that are healthy now, stay away from our house till we beat this cold for good. At the rate we are going, it could be awhile.
Friday, January 14, 2005
I passed!
Whew - I passed the GTT test without any problem. The doctor was happy with everything, especially the baby’s growth. She showed me where the head is at – which is currently pretty much in the middle of my belly. I guess that all those things I thought were kicks could either be that or punches. I'm picturing our boy as a pretzel right about now. She said that she won’t worry about the position until we get closer to the due date – or around 36 weeks at the earliest. Next week will be 30 weeks so it won’t be long.
At this point it looks like I won’t need another ultrasound. I’ll have another couple of blood tests later on and after my next appointment [in 3 weeks time] I will be visiting the doctor every second week. As she is very busy and I usually end up waiting for at least an hour each visit I guess I can count on seeing a lot of her waiting room. Usually there are a few other expectant mothers to talk to or babies to entertain us. The magazines are so old that very few people bother to read them. I usually load my latest work documents on my palm and just read and edit while I wait so at least I get some work done.
Not much else to report except on the “stuff” front. Thanks to some friends, the little one now has more stuff. They’ve leant us some really cool things like a swing, a doorway jumper, a bouncer saucer, a boppy and a car seat/carrier. Their little guy, Simon, will be one soon and is now walking around and keeping his mom and dad busy.
I also got a great deal on a Baby Bjorn carrier on Ebay. I spoke to mom a while ago and she’s made another sweater and is in the process of making a blanket. Pretty soon the girls are going to get a little upset that the baby has so much stuff. Right now they are happy to play with it all though. They got the swing going and the cat was very suspicious of it. Wonder what she will think of it when there is a crying baby in it. I think she’s going to spend a lot of her time hiding in our office. We also got a subscription to "Todays Parent" magazine that came with a coupon offer we got while out shopping before Christmas. I don't know if I'll read them but at least I can always hand them off to my sister for her daycare or headstart program [and they are free].
We’ve been discussing some names again. I seem to be on a letter “C” phase – I’ve suggested Cullen, Conner, Calvin, Cody, Cohen and Callum. I like Callum the best so far but there are a lot of variations of pronunciation – KAL-um, CALL-um and COL-um. I prefer the first but better check out the Scottish pronunciation or my father-in-law may be constantly correcting us if we opt for that. In non-C names I also like Grayson, Myles and Quentin. Don still seems to be hoping I’ll agree to Jesus but thankfully someone pointed out the other pronunciation of this name [something like Heh-zeus]. Now I'm off to rest a bit before getting back to work. I got very little sleep last night because someone decided they wanted to get in shape for the visit to the doctor and was moving about so much I couldn't get comfortable. I'm really hoping he decides to come a few weeks early so that Don and the girls can start sharing in my fun.
At this point it looks like I won’t need another ultrasound. I’ll have another couple of blood tests later on and after my next appointment [in 3 weeks time] I will be visiting the doctor every second week. As she is very busy and I usually end up waiting for at least an hour each visit I guess I can count on seeing a lot of her waiting room. Usually there are a few other expectant mothers to talk to or babies to entertain us. The magazines are so old that very few people bother to read them. I usually load my latest work documents on my palm and just read and edit while I wait so at least I get some work done.
Not much else to report except on the “stuff” front. Thanks to some friends, the little one now has more stuff. They’ve leant us some really cool things like a swing, a doorway jumper, a bouncer saucer, a boppy and a car seat/carrier. Their little guy, Simon, will be one soon and is now walking around and keeping his mom and dad busy.
I also got a great deal on a Baby Bjorn carrier on Ebay. I spoke to mom a while ago and she’s made another sweater and is in the process of making a blanket. Pretty soon the girls are going to get a little upset that the baby has so much stuff. Right now they are happy to play with it all though. They got the swing going and the cat was very suspicious of it. Wonder what she will think of it when there is a crying baby in it. I think she’s going to spend a lot of her time hiding in our office. We also got a subscription to "Todays Parent" magazine that came with a coupon offer we got while out shopping before Christmas. I don't know if I'll read them but at least I can always hand them off to my sister for her daycare or headstart program [and they are free].
We’ve been discussing some names again. I seem to be on a letter “C” phase – I’ve suggested Cullen, Conner, Calvin, Cody, Cohen and Callum. I like Callum the best so far but there are a lot of variations of pronunciation – KAL-um, CALL-um and COL-um. I prefer the first but better check out the Scottish pronunciation or my father-in-law may be constantly correcting us if we opt for that. In non-C names I also like Grayson, Myles and Quentin. Don still seems to be hoping I’ll agree to Jesus but thankfully someone pointed out the other pronunciation of this name [something like Heh-zeus]. Now I'm off to rest a bit before getting back to work. I got very little sleep last night because someone decided they wanted to get in shape for the visit to the doctor and was moving about so much I couldn't get comfortable. I'm really hoping he decides to come a few weeks early so that Don and the girls can start sharing in my fun.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Is no news good news?
Well, it's been a few days and I haven't heard from my doctor's office yet about the GTT test results. I was warned that if I failed the test I would hear from them pretty quickly. I'll find out tomorrow for sure when I do get in to see my doctor.
In baby news, all seems well. The baby has been really active over the last few days. He's starting to respond to stimuli like snapping fingers in the vicinity of my belly [don't ask how I found this out]. Don tried popping a plastic bag to see if he could get some movement going this morning but it seems he's tired out and didn't move a bit. It could be because he was up at 4 am doing his daily morning exercises and generally annoying me. I think that it's been months since I've actually slept through the night. The baby's movements usually have me waking up at least 3 or 4 times and it takes me forever to get back to sleep. I guess that I'll be ready for those late night feedings and diaper changes. Thank goodness I get to work at home most days because I can get an extra half hour sleep in the morning and toddle downstairs to my home office to start the day in my pjs.
More books have arrived from the book club and Dakota thinks it's amusing that she recognizes some titles because she recently had to read them to her little buddy at school. She did complain that one of them was too long - meaning, I suppose, that she will enjoy reading the baby the little board books but everything else will be up to Don and I. Actually, we'd probably be more likely to start reading the baby things like policy papers and research guides just so we can continue to get our own reading done. Poor little guy! I'm trying to get through "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" at the moment. It's a good book but very large and cumbersome to read when you’re pregnant. I can't rest the 800-page book on my belly because the baby doesn't like it and I can't hold it for too long without my hand feeling as though it's going to fall off. I've contemplated cutting it in half but after a few years of working at a bookstore I can't bring myself to do it.
Look for more news tomorrow.
In baby news, all seems well. The baby has been really active over the last few days. He's starting to respond to stimuli like snapping fingers in the vicinity of my belly [don't ask how I found this out]. Don tried popping a plastic bag to see if he could get some movement going this morning but it seems he's tired out and didn't move a bit. It could be because he was up at 4 am doing his daily morning exercises and generally annoying me. I think that it's been months since I've actually slept through the night. The baby's movements usually have me waking up at least 3 or 4 times and it takes me forever to get back to sleep. I guess that I'll be ready for those late night feedings and diaper changes. Thank goodness I get to work at home most days because I can get an extra half hour sleep in the morning and toddle downstairs to my home office to start the day in my pjs.
More books have arrived from the book club and Dakota thinks it's amusing that she recognizes some titles because she recently had to read them to her little buddy at school. She did complain that one of them was too long - meaning, I suppose, that she will enjoy reading the baby the little board books but everything else will be up to Don and I. Actually, we'd probably be more likely to start reading the baby things like policy papers and research guides just so we can continue to get our own reading done. Poor little guy! I'm trying to get through "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell" at the moment. It's a good book but very large and cumbersome to read when you’re pregnant. I can't rest the 800-page book on my belly because the baby doesn't like it and I can't hold it for too long without my hand feeling as though it's going to fall off. I've contemplated cutting it in half but after a few years of working at a bookstore I can't bring myself to do it.
Look for more news tomorrow.
Friday, January 07, 2005
Miscellaneous thoughts
I just got back from the gestational diabetes test. I won't get the results for a few days and since my doctor's office isn't open on weekends I probably won't hear anything until next week. The test wasn't as bad as I thought. I had to drink a small bottle of a carbonated sugar substance that tasted an awful lot like orange pop. While it's not something I'd like to drink in the morning I managed it better than I had expected. Then, I was sent back out to the waiting room [after the technician kindly showed me where I could lie down if I suddenly started feeling ill] and was told to wait for 1 hour. Good thing I brought a new book [Crow Lake - not bad so far].
It was a pretty amusing wait. I was at a local office of the BC Biomedical Laboratories and it was pretty busy. You could really tell when people were nervous about their tests, most of which probably involved needles. One man spent 15 minutes tapping his foot so fast I thought it would fall off. Another kept trying to get out of his test. He went up to the receptionist about four times asking if she was absolutely sure that they needed to draw blood. One woman kept pacing and another had to get pushed in by her mother. Only one lucky man was spared. His test was to take a few hours and as he had eaten breakfast, he could not take it until after lunch. However, the office was closing early due to the snowfall warning so he happily left.
My hour passed quickly - I contemplated cheating a little and doing some exercises to get the blood moving a bit quicker but thought the other patients were amusing enough. No need to add to the general atmosphere by suddenly jumping up and down or doing some of the strange pregnancy-type stretches I've been doing at home. Nope. No need. I was called back in and they took some blood and that was that.
I had some time to kill before my bus so I went and did a little more baby shopping and bought myself some new clothes to fit my ever growing belly. I picked up some lunch for Dakota and I [she is at home today due to a cold] and went home. I was a little concerned that the bus wouldn't be able to make it down the hill to the stop near our house. It's our second day of snow here in Vancouver and there are so few plows and salt trucks that the residential neighbourhoods don't get their roads cleared properly. We made it okay though and I had the pleasure of walking the few blocks to the house in the soft silence that only snow can bring. I'm glad we got some this year because once again I didn't make it back home [to Merritt]. Mom told me that she and my niece went x-country skiing recently and I was a bit jealous. Then the girls got to go snow boarding and we had to stay home. Now, at least I was able to see some snow.
Unfortunately, we all seem to be getting sick. Dakota had it first. She picked it up in Kamloops and has been fighting it all week. Mind you, the crazy kid stubbornly decided to wear shorts during the week despite winter-like lows. She doesn't get dressed until the last minute and if I'm not upstairs when she leaves for school I don't find out until she gets home. Last night she was coughing most of the night so we decided to keep her home. At about 4:30 in the morning when Don got up to give her some cough medicine I started sniffling and had an itchy throat. This morning Don was also sniffling and Des started coughing too. It seems like at least half of Don's office is off sick and more than a few people from my office are in various stages of recovering. Let's hope that it is a mild bug and we all recover quickly.
I'm going to finish watching the news and get back to work. I'll post an update next week when I hear the results of the test.
It was a pretty amusing wait. I was at a local office of the BC Biomedical Laboratories and it was pretty busy. You could really tell when people were nervous about their tests, most of which probably involved needles. One man spent 15 minutes tapping his foot so fast I thought it would fall off. Another kept trying to get out of his test. He went up to the receptionist about four times asking if she was absolutely sure that they needed to draw blood. One woman kept pacing and another had to get pushed in by her mother. Only one lucky man was spared. His test was to take a few hours and as he had eaten breakfast, he could not take it until after lunch. However, the office was closing early due to the snowfall warning so he happily left.
My hour passed quickly - I contemplated cheating a little and doing some exercises to get the blood moving a bit quicker but thought the other patients were amusing enough. No need to add to the general atmosphere by suddenly jumping up and down or doing some of the strange pregnancy-type stretches I've been doing at home. Nope. No need. I was called back in and they took some blood and that was that.
I had some time to kill before my bus so I went and did a little more baby shopping and bought myself some new clothes to fit my ever growing belly. I picked up some lunch for Dakota and I [she is at home today due to a cold] and went home. I was a little concerned that the bus wouldn't be able to make it down the hill to the stop near our house. It's our second day of snow here in Vancouver and there are so few plows and salt trucks that the residential neighbourhoods don't get their roads cleared properly. We made it okay though and I had the pleasure of walking the few blocks to the house in the soft silence that only snow can bring. I'm glad we got some this year because once again I didn't make it back home [to Merritt]. Mom told me that she and my niece went x-country skiing recently and I was a bit jealous. Then the girls got to go snow boarding and we had to stay home. Now, at least I was able to see some snow.
Unfortunately, we all seem to be getting sick. Dakota had it first. She picked it up in Kamloops and has been fighting it all week. Mind you, the crazy kid stubbornly decided to wear shorts during the week despite winter-like lows. She doesn't get dressed until the last minute and if I'm not upstairs when she leaves for school I don't find out until she gets home. Last night she was coughing most of the night so we decided to keep her home. At about 4:30 in the morning when Don got up to give her some cough medicine I started sniffling and had an itchy throat. This morning Don was also sniffling and Des started coughing too. It seems like at least half of Don's office is off sick and more than a few people from my office are in various stages of recovering. Let's hope that it is a mild bug and we all recover quickly.
I'm going to finish watching the news and get back to work. I'll post an update next week when I hear the results of the test.
Wednesday, January 05, 2005
Report for mom
This one is for you mom. Don and I were getting the distinct impression that a concerned parent was getting a little worried that the baby still needed "stuff".
You will be happy to know that we did get out and did some shopping before returning to work. The little guy now has most of the necessities including a crib, change table, baby monitor, tub, stroller, bottles, blankets, clothes [including many little socks that Don assures me get lost in the wash], bath and grooming supplies, diaper bag, hats, jackets, shoes, soothers and even a nifty digital thermometer that can take the baby's temp. from under his arm. A friend has offered to loan us her baby car seat as her son has just outgrown it and has even more clothes for the baby.
Next we will stock up on the other little things including many, many diapers. I'm a little concerned though because Don keeps informing me that a tightly wrapped baby diaper [used] makes a good football. Wonder what he will think of a loosely wrapped one tossed in his direction? [No I'm not suggesting I'd do that to him - I'm just saying that it could happen]. The book collection continues to grow and everytime we go out Don keeps looking for the "classic kids" DVDs to add to our collection.
The one thing that we still need is a name. We haven't really discussed it much lately but so far have only agreed on Elias or Eli. Nobody but us seems to like that name though. It's not an easy thing to pick out a name given the size of our families - all family names have been taken up by the cousins and we certainly don't need another junior, junior [Don is a junior and my brother is a junior]. We'll work it out.
Finally, I've started playing music for the baby while I work. I put the speaker close to my belly and let the baby listen to the classics. When I told Don he respectfully requested that I play some Iron Maiden. I tried but just couldn't do it. Unfortunately for him, I'm attached to that belly and short of playing it while I'm sleeping he's out of luck. Not that I'm afraid he'd do something like that - I'm sure he'd think of a much more complicated way like making the phone ring play Crazy Train or something. Mind you, I think Des and Dakota have their own plot going because Dakota told me that you can get baby t-shirts and onsies with logos like the Ramones [a theme common in a lot of her own clothes these days]. It's going to be a challenge but somehow, someway I'm going to make sure the baby learns to appreciate Edith Piaf and Ella Fitzgerald too.
You will be happy to know that we did get out and did some shopping before returning to work. The little guy now has most of the necessities including a crib, change table, baby monitor, tub, stroller, bottles, blankets, clothes [including many little socks that Don assures me get lost in the wash], bath and grooming supplies, diaper bag, hats, jackets, shoes, soothers and even a nifty digital thermometer that can take the baby's temp. from under his arm. A friend has offered to loan us her baby car seat as her son has just outgrown it and has even more clothes for the baby.
Next we will stock up on the other little things including many, many diapers. I'm a little concerned though because Don keeps informing me that a tightly wrapped baby diaper [used] makes a good football. Wonder what he will think of a loosely wrapped one tossed in his direction? [No I'm not suggesting I'd do that to him - I'm just saying that it could happen]. The book collection continues to grow and everytime we go out Don keeps looking for the "classic kids" DVDs to add to our collection.
The one thing that we still need is a name. We haven't really discussed it much lately but so far have only agreed on Elias or Eli. Nobody but us seems to like that name though. It's not an easy thing to pick out a name given the size of our families - all family names have been taken up by the cousins and we certainly don't need another junior, junior [Don is a junior and my brother is a junior]. We'll work it out.
Finally, I've started playing music for the baby while I work. I put the speaker close to my belly and let the baby listen to the classics. When I told Don he respectfully requested that I play some Iron Maiden. I tried but just couldn't do it. Unfortunately for him, I'm attached to that belly and short of playing it while I'm sleeping he's out of luck. Not that I'm afraid he'd do something like that - I'm sure he'd think of a much more complicated way like making the phone ring play Crazy Train or something. Mind you, I think Des and Dakota have their own plot going because Dakota told me that you can get baby t-shirts and onsies with logos like the Ramones [a theme common in a lot of her own clothes these days]. It's going to be a challenge but somehow, someway I'm going to make sure the baby learns to appreciate Edith Piaf and Ella Fitzgerald too.
Sunday, January 02, 2005
The Third Trimester
Well, down to the last third now. It seems like there is so much time left and yet I expect things will pass quickly. Hopefully, the morning sickness will be a distant memory before too long. We know of two babies that were born over the Christmas break and it helps to make everything seem more real for us too.
We hope that everyone had a good Christmas. We didn't get around to sending out cards this year but don't think we weren't thinking about you. We spent a quiet Christmas at home - dinner with family, visit from my parents and the girls took a trip up to Kamloops to visit their relatives.
Don and I had a few days alone and spent most of it resting up for the month ahead. Well, I did. Don was busy defending the universe once again. You'll be happy to know that he finished his latest X-Box game in just a few short days. Apparently this one was a little harder than the last because that one only took him two days to finish. I was happy that he was otherwise occupied though because he finally gave his new Christmas present, a digital camera, a break. There will be plenty of time for photos after the baby is born [you have all been warned].
I got a lovely new computer for Christmas. It's much faster than my old one and I'm enjoying the new monitor. My old one was on its' last legs - I'm beginning to think that it played a part in my morning sickness because I haven't been as bad off since I got the new system. The girls did well too but still manage to have the energy to go shopping. Maybe we should just give them the list of baby items and send them off.
The baby got some gifts from the grandparents - lucky little guy. I was very happy to see that both grandmothers gave him knitted blankets. I wanted some but there was no way I'd learn to knit in the next few months. I was going to try to convince Don that all "manly men" knit but didn't think that he would fall for it. Knowing him, he would have made it an office project and our kid would have ended up being the only one with a "Save the wild salmon" blanket.
I spent a couple of days building a toy box. Well, sort of. We had a pantry shelf that was too large for the house and I modified it into something resembling a toy box. It didn't turn out exactly as I had planned but it kept my mind off work for awhile and I got to use Don's new saw. At least I now have somewhere to put some of those stuffed animals that the grandparents bought. We also bought a new dresser for the baby's clothes and are ready to begin shopping for the rest of the goodies. We may go off tomorrow - the girls just got back from Kamloops but are planning on spending the day snow boarding with their uncle so it will be our last quiet day before returning to work. I can't say that I'm much looking forward to going back to the mall so soon after Christmas though.
This week I have the GTT test and next week will be another check-up. I know that the baby is doing well if the size of my belly is any indication. Everytime I look down I keep thinking "please stop growing" because even though I want a healthy baby he does have to come out at some point. He was very active on New Year's eve - swimming, running and fluttering about for hours. He was like that today too while we were watching the hockey game [a fan already]. He also got his daily fight in with the cat but I'm beginning to think that I'm the only one who is bothered by their constant kicking. They seem to quite enjoy it.
We hope that everyone had a good Christmas. We didn't get around to sending out cards this year but don't think we weren't thinking about you. We spent a quiet Christmas at home - dinner with family, visit from my parents and the girls took a trip up to Kamloops to visit their relatives.
Don and I had a few days alone and spent most of it resting up for the month ahead. Well, I did. Don was busy defending the universe once again. You'll be happy to know that he finished his latest X-Box game in just a few short days. Apparently this one was a little harder than the last because that one only took him two days to finish. I was happy that he was otherwise occupied though because he finally gave his new Christmas present, a digital camera, a break. There will be plenty of time for photos after the baby is born [you have all been warned].
I got a lovely new computer for Christmas. It's much faster than my old one and I'm enjoying the new monitor. My old one was on its' last legs - I'm beginning to think that it played a part in my morning sickness because I haven't been as bad off since I got the new system. The girls did well too but still manage to have the energy to go shopping. Maybe we should just give them the list of baby items and send them off.
The baby got some gifts from the grandparents - lucky little guy. I was very happy to see that both grandmothers gave him knitted blankets. I wanted some but there was no way I'd learn to knit in the next few months. I was going to try to convince Don that all "manly men" knit but didn't think that he would fall for it. Knowing him, he would have made it an office project and our kid would have ended up being the only one with a "Save the wild salmon" blanket.
I spent a couple of days building a toy box. Well, sort of. We had a pantry shelf that was too large for the house and I modified it into something resembling a toy box. It didn't turn out exactly as I had planned but it kept my mind off work for awhile and I got to use Don's new saw. At least I now have somewhere to put some of those stuffed animals that the grandparents bought. We also bought a new dresser for the baby's clothes and are ready to begin shopping for the rest of the goodies. We may go off tomorrow - the girls just got back from Kamloops but are planning on spending the day snow boarding with their uncle so it will be our last quiet day before returning to work. I can't say that I'm much looking forward to going back to the mall so soon after Christmas though.
This week I have the GTT test and next week will be another check-up. I know that the baby is doing well if the size of my belly is any indication. Everytime I look down I keep thinking "please stop growing" because even though I want a healthy baby he does have to come out at some point. He was very active on New Year's eve - swimming, running and fluttering about for hours. He was like that today too while we were watching the hockey game [a fan already]. He also got his daily fight in with the cat but I'm beginning to think that I'm the only one who is bothered by their constant kicking. They seem to quite enjoy it.
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